Water is essential to life. Every single person on the planet drinks water, in one form or another. The bottled water market is already substantial, including within premium hospitality. Yet the same widely available brands may be served across drastically different occasions, from an everyday stop at a convenience store to a meal at one of a city’s most exclusive restaurants.

For the team at Chiarella, this creates room for a mineral water developed specifically for more carefully curated settings. The company believes the water served at a premium restaurant or hotel can reflect the occasion through its sourcing, service, story, aesthetic, and quality, just as the menu, glassware, and silverware do. The aim is not to charge excessive prices simply because it is water, but to recognize the time and care involved in sourcing it from a protected mountain spring, transporting it from the area above Lake Como, and designing its presentation.

A single-source Italian Alpine spring water sourced from above Lake Como boasts a balanced mineral profile and is served in a heavily awarded, hand-designed glass bottle created and perfected by architect Lorenzo Palmeri. Chiarella positions the water as an alternative for hospitality venues seeking a product suited to the setting rather than one commonly available through mass-market retailers.  

What Is Chiarella: Family-Owned Mineral Water

Though the brand is just beginning to make its way to the United States, Chiarella has long been a treasured part of its native Lake Como in Italy. The bottled water has been in circulation there since 1964, when the local press referred to the brand’s bottling facility as “the most panoramic plant in Europe for the bottling of mineral waters.”

The Giugno family founded the brand and has maintained it as a family-owned operation for several decades. Today, it is operated by the family’s third generation, with Andrea Vaccani as the current CEO. Despite the passage of time, Andrea still runs Chiarella, rooted in the traditions of his family’s past.

The Chiarella Difference

Crucially, where other brands might sand the edges off their distinct personality to be more widely marketable, Chiarella has steered in the opposite direction. Rather than attempt to meet people on their own terms, this water brand insists people meet it on its terms. It is an intentionally niche product designed specifically for premium hospitality experiences, such as restaurants, hotels, and more.

Chiarella is not the kind of water you will find at the local gas station or supermarket, and that is precisely why it is coveted and valued by so many.

Bringing it to the United States: Luxury Restaurant Water

Upon visiting Italy, cousins Nick Spiekhout and Dominic Purpura were awed by Chiarella. The two operators had previously built and exited the CPG brand Mela in Italy and found inspiration in this highly cultivated water brand. Together with newcomer Achilles Bezanis, they sought to broaden Chiarella’s reach by bringing its small-batch, design-forward, family-owned mineral water to the United States.

The three partnered with Chiarella’s founding family, working with Andrea and his team to bring the brand to the US. Despite these new developments and expansions, heavy emphasis was placed on maintaining the brand’s values. Even in US locations, Chiarella is poised to be exactly as it is in Italy: a quiet balance of nature and design.

Moving Forward

After spending several decades as one of Italy’s most valued and best-kept secrets, Chiarella is now expanding in the United States. Following what the company describes as a successful first-quarter 2026 launch at several prominent Miami restaurants, Chiarella has now entered the New York City market with Manhattan Beer & Beverage Distributors. Early accounts include Meadow Lane and The Standard Hotel. Through these methods, the brand retains the same elegance and appeal that have made this family brand beloved for so long.

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